Cam released clutch



Nov. 10, 1953 JEPSON CAM RELEASED CLUTCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 11, 1948 Nov. 10, 1953 PS N 2,658,597

CAM RELEASED CLUTCH Filed May 11, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAM RELEASED CLUTCH Ivar Jcpson, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Sunbeam Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois 2 Claims. 3

This invention relates in general to power driven clutch and shifter assemblies and has more particular reference to devices of this kind adapted for different mountings. It relates particularly to improvements in the assembly disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,352,596.

An object of the invention is the provision in an assembly of the above character having a clutch with a first friction member movable into engagement with a second friction member of novel control means that is movable a preselected distance successively in the same direction for effecting engagement and disengagement of the friction members.

Another object of the invention is the provision in an assembly of the above character of novel means for returning the control means to a preselected position.

Another object of the invention is the provision in an assembly of the above character of novel control means that is adjustable to any of a plurality of angular positions.

Another object of the invention is the provision in an assembly of this kind which may be driven with an endless belt of means whereby the endless belt may be readily replaced without completely disassembling the unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the character which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which is BITlClEl'lt, which is rugged, and which is reliable in service.

Other objects and attendant advantages will be appreciated by those skilled in this art as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a power driven clutch and shifter assembly, partly in vertical section, embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end view thereof looking at the right hand end of Figure 1 and showing a hand grip attached to the shifter cord;

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the shifter cam employed in the assembly shown in the previous views;

Fig. 6 is a front view of the shifter cam as seen from the right of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a back view of the shifter cam as seen from the left of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an end view of the mechanism mounted at an angle to the position shown in Fig. 3

2; and with the lever positioned to accommodate this mounting;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the assembly in the clutch-engaging position;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing the assembly in de-clutched position;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of Fig. 10 taken on the line ll-l I, and

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of Fig. 9 taken along line l2l2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the invention is shown embodied in a clutch and shifter assembly comprising a frame or bracket generally designated by It having a flat base bottom I2 adapted to seat against and be attached to a suitable support as by means of bolts (not shown) passing through apertures 13, and bearing housings l4, l5, and It in the arrangement shown. A drive shaft H is journaled in suitable bearings in the bearing housings Hi and I5 and a shaft I 8 is supported in the bearing housing [6 for lengthwise movement therein for purposes of shifting components of the clutch assembly as will be presently described. In this case the shaft H is journaled directly in the bearing housing l5 which may be relatively short in length because of the lighter bearing load at this end of the shaft. The opposite or driving end of the shaft ll has a reduced portion l9 journaled in a sleeve bearing 2! (see Figure 1) having a locating collar 22 at its outer end. This bearing is relatively long and is replaceable be cause of the heavier load in transmitting power from this end. Any suitable drive transmitting connection may be applied to this end of the drive shaft such, for example, as a universal joint including a gear 23 fixed to the drive shaft ill, a gear 2t fixed to a driven shaft 25 and a suitable yoke and trunnion housing structure 26 for maintaining the gears in driving connection while permitting movement of the driven shaft 25 to any angular position about the center H, as well as the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft H. In this case one of the trunnion yokes is integral with the bearing 2! and collar 22. Suitable means such as grease cups 28 are provided for lubricating the drive shaft I1 and associated bearings.

A clutch is mounted on the drive shaft between the bearing housings M and I5, preferably comprising a driving member 29 and a driven memher 3!. The member 29 has a V-groove 32 adapted to receive a V-belt driven from a suitable source of power and a cone socket 33 provided with a suitable frictional surface 34 of clutch lining material such as a cork composition. The member 3| is in the form of a cone slidably disposed for axial movement on the splined portion 35 (see Fig. 9) of the drive shaft and adapted to be frictionally engageable with the clutch lining 34. At its outer end the cone is formed with an annular groove 3! adapted to receive a shifter yoke 38 which is operable to effect engagement and dis-engagement of the cone 3| with clutch lining 34. The driving member 29 has spaced bushings 39 (see Fig. 9), only one of which is shown, pressed into opposite ends of a center bore thereof and journaled on the intermediate portion 4| of the drive shaft IT. The drive shaft is held against endwise displacement by thrust collars 42 and 43 on opposite sides of the clutch and mounted on the shaft by taper pins 44 extending through the collars and the shaft respectively. Each pin is held in place by a wire retaining ring 4|]. A spacing washer 45 is positioned on the drive shaft II adjacent the splined portion 35 for limiting axial movement of the driving member 29 to the right as seen in Fig. 9. A coil spring 4I mounted on the shaft II between the coilar 43 and the cone 3| is under compression and acts to urge the cone 3| into frictional driving engagement with the clutch lining 34 of the driving member 29.

Movement of the cone 3| to engage the clutch lining 39 as well as movement in the opposite direction to disengage cone 3| from the clutch lining 34 is controlled by the shifter yoke 33 and the shifter shaft I8. As observed in Fig. 4 the shifter yoke 38 is fixedly clamped to the shifter shaft I8 by means of a clamping screw 43, the yoke 38 being split at its lower end at 49 to allow for this clamping action and also to permit the use of a key 66 between the yoke and the shaft I6. To guide and prevent rotative displacement of the yoke 38 the frame I I is provided with an upstanding guide rib 50 disposed to be received between the spaced portions of the split lower end of the shifter yoke 38. In this embodiment of the invention the axial position of the shifter shaft I8 is under the control of suitable cam means. As shown the means includes a member mounted for rotation about the shifter shaft I8 and having a pair of diametrically opposed raised portions 52 formed on one axial face with intermediate low portions 53. The respective raised and low portions are interconnected by smoothly inclined surfaces. Cooperating with these raised and low portions 52 and 53 respectively, in a manner to be described, are a pair of diametrically opposed raised portions 54 with intermediate low portions 55 formed on the bearing housing I5 adjacent the cam 5|. The raised portions 54 and the low portions 55 are also interconnected by smoothly formed inclined surfaces. The respective raised and low portions of the cam 5| are coordinated with the raised and low portions on the bearing housing so that with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 9, in which the cone 3| frictionally engages the clutch lining 34, the raised portions 52 of the cam 5| are received in the low portions 55 on the bearing housing and the raised portions 54 on the bearing housing are received in the low portions 53 on the cam 5|. When the cam 5| is rotated to the position shown in Fig. the raised portions 52 of the cam engage the raised portions 54 on the bearing housing and the cam 5| is displaced axially from its position as shown in Fig. 9. In this position of the respective parts the cone 3| is disengaged from the clutch lining 34. The movement of the cam 5| is utilized to control the position of the cone 3| by means of the shifter shaft I8, the thrust sleeve 62 which encircles the shaft I8 and bears against the cam 5|, and a thrust disc 53 held against a shoulder 63a, formed on the shaft I8, by a nut 54 threaded on the shaft. To prevent rotation of the thrust disc 63 the shaft I8 is formed with a flat surface 65 and the disc 63 is formed with a generally D-shaped opening (see Fig. 12) for receiving the shaft I8.

A lever 65 movable between preselected angular positions controls the relative position of the cam 5| with respect to the bearing housing I6 or the frame II. At its free end the lever 66 may be provided with a pull cord 51 and a hand grip 68 for convenience in actuating the lever and at its opposite end the lever is formed with a split collar 59 arranged to be clamped about a shifter barrel I6 by a locking screw II. It is to be understood that this construction is advantageous from the standpoint that the lever 66 may be adjusted to any angular position relative to the barrel III. The barrel I6 is rotatably journaled about the thrust sleeve 62 and has at its inner end a pair of opposed stop lugs 13 and I4 for engagement with opposite sides of a frame lug I5 to limit rotation of the lever 66 in opposite directions. Internally of the barrel I0 is a pair of axially extending diametrically opposed recesses II containing pawl pins I8 urged toward the cam 5| by springs I9. The pawl pins I8 are engageable alternately with a pair of diametrically opposed shoulders 8| formed on the cam 5|, on the axial face thereof opposite to the raised and low portions 52 and 53, respectively. For purposes of illustration four shoulders 8| equally spaced about the axial face of the cam 5| are provided. The pawls I8 are operable to rotate the cam 5| counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 11 when the lever 65 and barrel III are rotated in a similar direction. Adjacent each shoulder 8| the axial face of the cam member 5| is inclined axially outwardly from the bottom of one shoulder to the top of the adjacent shoulder as shown at 82 so that when the lever is moved in the opposite direction the pawls are guided up the inclined surfaces from engagement with one pair of shoulders 8| to a position in which they are urged into engagement with another pair of shoulders 8| when the lever moves a preselected angular distance relative to the cam 5| in a clockwise direction. The arrangement of the pawls I8 and the shoulders 3| is in effect a ratchet construction.

Means is provided for urging the lever clockwise to a preselected position determined herein by engagement of the barrel stop lug M with the frame lug 76. In this embodiment the means comprises a torsion spring 33 which has one end anchored on the barrel III as by being deformed to project into a recess 84 formed in the barrel and the other end is anchored in one of the peripheral slots 81 in the thrust plate 53, the particular slot 8? depending on the torsion in the spring required in a given application.

Another important feature of the present invention is the provision of means in a clutch and shifter assembly driven by an endless V -belt of means whereby the endless belt may be readily replaced and serviced without completely disassembling the clutch and shifter assembly. For this purpose the frame is formed by a pair of arms 88 and 89 for carrying the drive shaft Ii, the driving member 29 and the cone 3| and associated components. The frame arms 88 and 83 are formed separately and are attached together by screws 9! to form unitary frame ii. The arms may be alined by suitable dowels 92. To

install the endless belt the gear 23 is removed from the drive shaft If. Thereafter the screws 9| are removed and the arm 83 is moved axially away from the arm 89 farenoughtopermit passage of the belt between the arms 88 and 89.

Fig. 9 shows the component parts in their respective positions when the cone 3| engages the clutch lining 3 To disengage the cone 3'! the lever 66 is rotated counterclockwise by pulling downwardly on the cord '67. This rotates the shifter barrel E in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 11. The pawl pins l8 rotatable with the barrel If! engage a pair of shoulders 85 on the cam 51 and rotate the latter simultaneously with movement of the lever 55 causing the raised portions 52 on the cam to move up the inclined surfaces between the raised and low portions 54 and 55 on the bearing housing it until the cam 51 is rotated 90 degrees and the raised portions 52 engage the raised portions 5% on the bearing housing l6. Movement of the lever is limited by engagement of lug "is with lug it on the frame. In this position of the cam 5! the shifter shaft It is moved to its outermost axial position as shown in Fig. 10. Simultaneously the shifter yoke 38 is moved axially with the movement of the shaft 88 and moves the cone 3| axially against the action of the spring fill to disengage the cone 3! from the clutch lining 3e. With the parts in this position the driving member 29 is freely rotatable and does not transmit power to the driven shaft 25. When the pull cord 6? is released the shifter barrel l0 and lever 66 return to their normal position determined by stop lug l4 engaging the frame lug :6 under the influence of the torsion spring 83. During the return move ment of the lever 66 the pawl pins 18 move relative to the cam 5! and pass over the inclined surfaces 82 so as to engage another pair of shoulders 8|.

To re-engage the cone 3! with the clutch lining 34 the rope 61 is pulled downwardly again in the same manner as described in the preceding paragraph to rotate the lever 66 and the shifter barrel iii counterclockwise to the position determined by engagement of the barrel lug 13 with the stop 16. During this movement the pawl pins 18 en gage the next pair of shoulders 81 and rotate the cam 5! through another 90 degrees. During this movement the cam 5| is rotated relative to the bearing housing [6. At the end of this movement the raised portions 52 of the cam 55 are received in the low portions 55 of the bearing housing 16 and the raised portions 54 on the bearing housing 16 are disposed in the low portions 53 on the cam 5|. The compression spring 45 acts to move the shifter shaft l8 and yoke to the left as shown in Fig. 9 and thus hold the cam member 5| in tight engagement with the bearing housing I6. The compression spring t? disposed between the cone 3i and the thrust collar :33 urges the cone 3! into positive driving engagement with the clutch lining 34.

When it is desired to mount the drive mechanism in a different position such, for example, as the base portion I2 in a vertical plane, that is 90 degrees from its horizontal position, for attachment to the side of an upright supporting member, as shown in Fig. 8, the lock bolt H is released sufficiently to permit the lever 65 to be rotated relative to the barrel ill to a position 90 degrees ahead in a clockwise direction with respect to the frame, to take care of the 90 degrees change'in position of the frame so as to locate the shifter lever in the operative position as shown in Fig. 8. The lever is in the same operative position as occupied in Fig. 3 wherein the base portion of the frame is horizontal instead of vertical. Due to the fact that the lever as may be adjusted to any desired angular position it is to be under-- stood that the base portion I? of the frame Ii may be mounted upon a supporting member that is at any angle with respect to the horizontal position and the unit will be in an operative position as soon as the shifter lever 65 has been shifted to a position corresponding to the mounting of the frame H.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that with the construction shown the frame may be mounted in an infinite number of angular positions which is particularly advantageous and desirable in order to accommodate the drive mechanism and shifter to any of a large variety of circumstances and conditions of use. For example, the embodiment here shown is designed as a power drive or so-called drive gear for animal shearing and clipping machines and particularly for shee shearing machines. This mechanism constitutes a unit of assembly adapted to be mounted in any of a variety of positions to serve the needs of a sheep shearing drive gear. Overhead mountings either in a horizontal or a vertical position are shown herein but it will be manifest that the frame may be mounted so that the clutch side of the frame is positioned either at the right or left of the attachment base or above or below the same. The appropriate adjustment of the shifter lever is of course made for each particular mounting. It is to be manifest that this unit of assembly may be mounted either on a stationary structure or on a movable carrier as, for example, on a truck or on the rear end of a motor car so that it may be conveniently transported to the place of use. Also, any suitable source of power may be used as the prime mover as, for example, an electric motor, a gas engine, or a power line shaft. If desired, the driving member 29 may be provided with means other than the V-groove for the power transmitting connection.

It should be manifest that the present invention is not limited for use with animal shearing and clipping machines but is capable of general application as a drive and. clutch shifter mechanism. Accordingly, various modifications may be made in the device embodying the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shifter mechanism for a power driven clutch of the type having a frame and rotatable driving and driven elements movable relative to each other in an axial direction for clutching engagement and disengagement, said shifter mechanism comprising a shaft mounted on said frame for axial movement and connected to one of said elements for producing relative axial movement therebetween, said frame adjacent said shaft having high and low portions disposed coaxially of said shaft defining a fixed first cam means, lever means mounted on said shaft and movable between preselected positions, second cam means rotatably mounted on said shaft and engageable with said first cam means, ratchet means for drivingly relating said lever means and second cam means for only one direction of movement of said lever means to move said second cam means relative to said first cam means and to be disengaged by said lever means when the latter moves in the opposite direction, said second cam means in one position relative to the first cam means shifting said shaft axially to move said one element to a position in which it engages said other element and in the other posi tion shifting said shaft axially to move said one element to a position in which it disengages the other member, and torsion spring means surrounding said shaft and connected between said lever means and said shaft for urging said lever means to a preselected one of its positions.

2. A shifter mechanism for a power driven clutch having interengaging friction members including a drive shaft for one of said members adapted to be driven by an external power source with the other of said friction members mounted for axial movement on said driven shaft, said shifter mechanism comprising a frame associated With said drive shaft and friction members adapted for attachment to a support, means operable to move said other of said friction members into and out of clutching engagement With said one friction member including a shifter rod mounted on said frame for axial movement relative thereto and connected to said other friction member, cam means rotatably mounted on said rod and engageable with cam means on said frame for controlling the axial position of said rod; lever means movable between preselected positions for controlling the cam means and having a recess defined therein, a disc rigidly mounted on said rod and having a plurality of peripherally extending slots formed thereon, and a torsion spring embracing said rod and having an end disposed in said recess and an end disposed in one of said peripheral slots and biased to return said lever means to one of its preselected positions.

IVAR JEPSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

